Human Spaceflights

International Flight-No. 105

STS-51F

Challenger (8)

USA

Patch STS-51F Patch Spacelab 2

hi res version (532 KB)

 

Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  29.07.1985
Launch time:  21:00 UT
Launch site:  Cape Canaveral (KSC)
Launch pad:  39-A
Altitude:  320 km
Inclination:  49,5°
Landing date:  06.08.1985
Landing time:  19:45 UT
Landing site:  Edwards AFB

walkout photo

Crew STS-51F

hi res version (0,97 MB)

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job Flight No. Duration Orbits
1 USA  Fullerton  Charles Gordon  CDR 2 7d 22h 45m  127 
2 USA  Bridges  Roy Dunbard, Jr.  PLT 1 7d 22h 45m  127 
3 USA  Henize  Karl Gordon  MSP 1 7d 22h 45m  127 
4 USA  Musgrave  Franklin Story  MSP 2 7d 22h 45m  127 
5 USA  England  Anthony Wayne  MSP 1 7d 22h 45m  127 
6 USA  Acton  Loren Wilber  PSP 1 7d 22h 45m  127 
7 USA  Bartoe  John-David Francis  PSP 1 7d 22h 45m  127 

Crew seating arrangement

Launch
1  Fullerton
2  Bridges
3  Henize
4  Musgrave
5  England
6  Acton
7  Bartoe
Space Shuttle cockpit
Landing
1  Fullerton
2  Bridges
3  Henize
4  Musgrave
5  England
6  Acton
7  Bartoe

Backup Crew

No.   Surname Given names Job
6 USA  Simon  George Warren  PSP
7 USA  Prinz  Dianne Kasnic  PSP
Crew STS-51F (prime and backup)

Flight

Launch from Cape Canaveral (KSC); landing on Edwards AFB; number one main engine shutdown prematurly, resulting in an Abort To Orbit (ATO) trajectory (planned orbit was 400 km). The countdown for a planned launch on July 12, 1985 had been halted at T-3 seconds after main engine ignition when a malfunction of number two Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) coolant valve caused shutdown of all three main engines.

Third flight of Spacelab (Mission SL-2); first time of testing "Instrument Pointing System" (IPS) in orbit, which was developed by Dornier Corporation; deploying and retrieving of platform PDB; experiments in life sciences, plasma physics, astronomy, high energy astrophysics, solar and atmospheric physics and technical research; mission extended one day for additional payload activities.

Photos / Drawings

Space Shuttle Instrument Pointing System (IPS)
STS-51F launch Spacelab
Instrument Pointing System (IPS) traditional in-flight photo STS-51F
STS-51F in orbit STS-51F landing

©      

Last update on November 15, 2009.

Back to homepage SPACEFACTS